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On Monday night, Melbourne's iconic Capitol theatre played host to the 40^th anniversary of the 2023 Green Room Awards ceremony celebrating outstanding live performances for the period 1st January to 31^st December 2022. The Awards cover a wide field of performance genres including Musical Theatre, Opera, Cabaret, Dance, Theatre (independent and companies) decided by panels of industry professionals.

The big winners of the night, each winning four awards were The Picture of Dorian Gray, Yentl, Paradise Lost and IPHIS. Collecting three awards each were Moulin Rouge! The Musical and BROAD. In all 41 productions won an award.

A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Stephen Page AO and a Technical Achievement Award was given to Jason Lehane. Award recipients for their performances included David Wenham, Eryn Jean Norvill, Queenie van de Zandt, Catherine Foster, Warwick Fyfe, Francine Cain, Juan Jackson and Johanna Allen.

New Green Room Awards president Anton Berezin stated: “Last night was a stunning success. The sense of community and excitement was palpable at the Capitol Theatre. Congratulations to all Green Room Award nominees and winners and a huge thankyou to the sponsors and volunteers that made last night possible. In addition to the wonderful live performances from Midnight, Once, &Juliet, Lucy Guerin Inc, St Martins, The Beep Test and hosts Tash York and Fiona Choi, it was humbling to have Paul Mercurio MP, Councillor Jamal Hakim and our new Patron, Dr Liz Jones AO, speak at the event. Victoria’s theatre industry truly showed how vibrant and diverse a community we are.”

2023 40^th Annual Green Room Awards Winners
Technical Achievement: Jason Lehane
Lifetime Achievement: Stephen Page AO

:: THEATRE COMPANIES ::

BEST PRODUCTION
The Picture of Dorian Gray directed by Kip Williams and presented by Michael Cassel Group, A Sydney Theatre Company Production

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE (2 RECIPIENTS)
Jana Zvedeniuk for Yentl presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre
Eryn Jean Norvill for The Picture of Dorian Gray presented by Michael Cassel Group, A Sydney Theatre Company Production

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Dann Barber for Yentl presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Marg Horwell for The Picture of Dorian Gray presented by Michael Cassel Group, A Sydney Theatre Company Production

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Rachel Burke for Yentl presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION
Gary Watling (musical director & arrangement), Lydia Fairhall (songwriter) and James Henry (sound design) for Heart is a Wasteland presented by ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Arts Centre Melbourne

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION
Kip Williams for The Picture of Dorian Gray presented by Michael Cassel Group, A Sydney Theatre Company Production

OUTSTANDING WRITING
Gary Abrahams, Elise Hearst and Galit Klas for Yentl presented by Kadimah Yiddish Theatre

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE
The Return presented by Malthouse Theatre

:: OPERA ::

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A LEAD ROLE (2 RECIPIENTS)
Catherine Foster for Elektra presented by Victorian Opera
Jonas Kaufmann for Lohengrin presented by Opera Australia

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (2 RECIPIENTS)
Warwick Fyfe for Lohengrin presented by Opera Australia
Nicole Wallace for IPHIS presented by Lyric Opera and Theatre Works

DESIGN
Brynna Lowen (Sets and Costumes) for IPHIS presented by Lyric Opera and Theatre Works

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Die Walküre (Ensemble) presented by Melbourne Opera

MUSICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Patrick Burns (Conductor) for IPHIS presented by Lyric Opera and Theatre Works

NEW AUSTRALIAN OPERA
Richard Mills (Composer) and Joel Tan (Libretto) for The Butterfly Lovers presented by Victorian Opera

BEST PRODUCTION
IPHIS presented by Lyric Opera and Theatre Works

:: CONTEMPORARY AND EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE ::

OUTSTANDING WORK
8 / 8 / 8: WORK created by Harriet Gillies and Marcus McKenzie and presented by Unfunded Empathy as part of RISING Festival
Still Lives: Melbourne created by Luke George and Daniel Kok and presented by National Gallery of Victoria as part of RISING Festival  

PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE OR PERFORMER
Ensemble for Here We Are Amongst You presented by Arts House and Rawcus
Ensemble for 8 / 8 / 8: WORK presented by Unfunded Empathy as part of RISING Festival

DESIGN/TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Luke George and Daniel Kok with Katie Sfetkidis, Nick Roux, Ash Snare and Element Rigging for Still Lives: Melbourne presented by National Gallery of Victoria as part of RISING Festival 

Arts in Synch Award - WORK FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG FAMILIES
An Uncertain Time presented by Sarah Austin & Co as part of FUSE Darebin Festival

CONTRIBUTION TO SECTOR AND COMMUNITY
Alter State presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Arts Access Victoria

:: CABARET ::

BEST PRODUCTION
BROAD presented by Geraldine Quinn as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival

BEST WRITING
Margot Morales for In the likely event of forever, presented by Margot Morales as part of Melbourne Fringe

BEST ENSEMBLE
Ensemble for Future. Joy. Club presented by Finucane & Smith

BEST ORIGINAL SONGS
Samantha Andrew and Mel O'Brien for Shit-Wrecked! presented by Samantha Andrew and Mel O'Brien as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION
Geraldine Quinn and Cameron Thomas for BROAD presented by Geraldine Quinn as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival

BEST ARTISTE
Geraldine Quinn for BROAD presented by Geraldine Quinn as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival

:: INDEPENDENT THEATRE ::

BEST NEW WRITING
Glenn Shea for An Indigenous Trilogy – Act 1: Three Magpies Perched in a Tree presented by The Storyteller in association with La Mama

BEST DIRECTION
The Bloomshed Ensemble for Paradise Lost presented by Bloomshed in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy

BEST ENSEMBLE
Escape to the Megaverse (including technical crew) presented by Game Boys Comedy as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival

BEST PERFORMER (2 RECIPIENTS)
Tom Molyneux for The Mission presented by The Space Company in association with Chapel Off Chapel
Alex Hines for Juniper Rising presented by Sons of Stratford as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
John Collopy for Paradise Lost presented by Bloomshed in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy

BEST SOUND DESIGN AND COMPOSITION
Elissa Goodrich for Gene Tree: Listen. Now. Again presented by St. Martins in association with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

BEST SET AND COSTUME
Nathan Burmeister for Paradise Lost presented by Bloomshed in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy

BEST PRODUCTION
Gene Tree: Listen. Now. Again presented by St. Martins in association with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Paradise Lost presented by Bloomshed in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy

:: DANCE ::

BEST SOUND DESIGN
Marco Cher-Gibard for Siren Dance presented by Dancehouse

BEST VISUAL DESIGN (two recipients)
Sarah Aiken (Visual Design) for Make Your Life Count presented by Arts House and Sarah Aiken and Collaborators
Jake Preval (Costumes and Set) for SICK presented by Phillip Adams, Ryan New, Balletlab and Midsumma Festival

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Sandra Parker for Yield to Resistance presented by Temperance Hall and Dancehouse

BEST PERFORMER (two recipients)
Lilian Steiner for Siren Dance presented by Dancehouse
Jana Castillo for Castillo presented by Dancehouse

BEST ENSEMBLE
Jurrungu Ngan-ga [Straight Talk] presented by Arts House and Rising

BREAKING GROUND
Priya Srinivasan, Philipa Rothfield, Uthra Vijay for The Durga Chronicles presented by Arts House

OUTSTANDING CREATION
Angela Goh for Sky Blue Mythic presented by Dancehouse

:: MUSICAL THEATRE ::

ARTISTS – ENSEMBLE (6)
The Company of SIX The Musical presented by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel & Linda Bewick. By arrangement with Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles for Six Australia P/L

ARTISTS – LEADING (12) - Dobell & Magraet Dobell
David Wenham for A Christmas Carol presented by GWB Entertainment
Queenie Van De Zandt for Next To Normal presented by the James Terry Collective

ARTISTS  - SUPPORTING (11)
Francine Cain for Cruel Intentions presented by David Venn Enterprises
Juan Jackson for TITANIC The Musical presented by The Marrollo Project
Johanna Allen for TITANIC The Musical presented by The Marrollo Project

CHOREOGRAPHY including the Betty Pounder Award for Original Choreography (6)
Christopher Wheeldon for An American in Paris, Australian Revival by Sean Kelly and Stuart Winter,  presented by GWB Entertainment & The Australian Ballet
Freya List for her 2022 Body of Work – Cruel Intentions presented by David Venn Enterprises and Next To Normal presented by the James Terry Collective (Betty Pounder Award for Original Choreography)

DESIGN (7)
SIX The Musical – Costume Design by Gabriella Slade and realised by Nigel Shaw, presented by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel & Linda Bewick. By arrangement with Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles for Six Australia P/L
Moulin Rouge! The Musical – Hair, Wig and Make-Up Design by David Brian Brown/Sarah Cimino, presented by Carmen Pavlovic, Gerry & Val Ryan, Bill Damaschke and Global Creatures

DIRECTION – MUSIC (1 trophy)
Andrew Ross for A Christmas Carol presented by GWB Entertainment

DIRECTION – STAGE or TECHNICAL
Richard Martin for the Technical Direction of Moulin Rouge! The Musical presented by Carmen Pavlovic, Gerry & Val Ryan, Bill Damaschke and Global Creatures
Dean Bryant for the Stage Direction of Fun Home, presented by The Melbourne Theatre Company

NEW AUSTRALIAN MUSIC THEATRE WRITING
Conor Neylon & Jackson Peele for THE BEEP TEST, presented by Neylon & Peele, Theatre Works and The Melbourne Fringe Festival

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Moulin Rouge! The Musical directed by Alex Timbers and presented by Carmen Pavlovic, Gerry & Val Ryan, Bill Damaschke and Global Creatures
Fun Home directed by Dean Bryant and presented by the Melbourne Theatre Company